Beer: Reviews & Ratings

This is, to me, another wonderful English ESB, balanced and well-rounded in character, with deep complexity.

Deep, bright copper, it has a very large light tan head slowly shrinking to a permanent, rich frothy top and frothy lace.

The aroma is rich, caramelized, toasted bread, hints of licorice, gingerbread, tea leaves, caramelized-fermented fruit (figs), and orange, with plenty of buttery caramel. It is complex, balanced, and wonderful.

The taste is similarly wonderful, fruity, spicey, peppery, with buttery caramel, toasted bread, citrus, a full-bodied malty sweetness just dominated but nice spicey-citrusy-leafy bitterness that takes over just at the finish, but leaving a sweet flavour to linger. (709 characters)

XXXB is without doubt the best English ale i've ever had. There just aren't enough good things I can say about it. If I was only able to drink this beer for the rest of my life i'd be more than happy.

Gorgeous deep amber color with a thick golden head that never quits. Big aromas of dried fruits, malt and a wonderful hoppy scent. Biscuity malt flavors with raisins, plums and a little orange. Traces of toasted nuts also. The finish has a little hint of anise spice. Spectacular hops bitterness that is dry but incredibly smooth. Rolls over the tongue like magic, and really awakens the senses. Firm in body, full in flavor and for all of its character its still highly drinkable.

There's plenty of English ales I love out there, and XXXB heads the list. It's everything you want the style to be, only better. This beer is so good, its one of those that you can remember vividly even if you haven't had one for months. The mere thought of it brings memories of the wonderful flavors and aromas, complex yet subtle. Absolutely brilliant. (1,040 characters)

Palate is rich with biscuit malt, walnuts, caramel, and a soothing herbal hoppiness to balance it out. It's not a hops in your face Pacific Coast pale ale. It has balance, and it's very drinkable. Underappreciated. (584 characters)

Yes! Pleasure to have come across this ale stateside. Saw this brewery featured in Michael Jackson's Beer Hunter television series.

Hmm. If you've had a Fuller's ESB (or other British bitter, for that matter) - that's the smell. Mild, by American standards, but actually, this one packs a tiny bit more bitterness and fruitiness than a Fuller's, et al. I wouldn't characterize the bitter as "hoppy" per se - perhaps ever-so-subtly. But you must know what you're looking for in a bitter from the isle. This delivers. It's modestly fabulous.

The bitter character is fantastic. I really dig this utilization of hops. Getting some caramel notes and the fruitiness is in check. Artfully balanced.

Had quite a few bitters from the UK and this may be the most bitter. Up against many American versions, it stands up strong and can trade some blows. I'd be delighted to drink this again whenever. (1,048 characters)

this is my first ale on this trip to England .... and it will be an experience hard to beat ....the smell of starfruit and ginger cookies, taste of roast chicken on toast, and a very pleasantly bitter aftertaste make this brew a very interesting and well crafted one .... definitely one of 500 beers to drink before you die .... (329 characters)

Pours a clear brownish amber color with two inches of solid head that had great retention. When the head does settle, it keeps a thick cap. Heavy lacing is left on the glass. Pleasant aroma of toasted bread, black tea, and citrus fruit. The addition of American Liberty hops threw me a little in this English ale but it compliments the beer nicely. I love the flavor of this beer. The malt sweetness is kept in check. Slightly toasted malt upfront before the hops add their flavors. The Goldings are detected first with some herbal and peppery flavor, then the citrus notes come in the finish. Has a nice rich mouthfeel for such a low ABV beer. My bottle says 5.0% ABV. Nice soft carbonation that is trying to mimic an ale on cask. Very drinkable with its low ABV and pleasant features. (786 characters)

A - rusty copper with a thin clinging headS - sweet malt biscuit. Bizzarely, I get a hint of throat lozengeT - malt biscuit, caramel with molases. Moderately hopped, but the farewell gives a peppery hop boost.M - medium bodied and nicely carbonated.O - the label descibes it as a "classic premium pale ale" but I look at it as more of a premium/special bitter. A favorite english tipple of mine since first tasting. Recommended. (432 characters)

T: Malty, caramelly, sweet toffee, sugar. Some (little) hops. This is a true English ESB at its best. Not an American Pale Ale, for sure - waaay too well balanced. Brought me right back to the pubs of the Northern Lake District & Dales.

MF: Full, creamy smooth. Good English carbonation level.

D: I really, really enjoyed this one. A great pint to have with the chaps at the bar. Sooo English!

Overall: A real enjoyable pleasure! Got this "on clearance" for $2.49, wish I had bought a case, Really a taste of Northern England in a bottle. Excellent! (747 characters)

A copper, clear beer with quite a lot of carbonation for an ESB. A very small head that leaves a small ring on the side of the glass.

Smell of wood and caramel, biscuit and toffee. The wood is more like oak or at least fresh timber. A big fruitiness of the English yeast that brings marmelade, peach and nuts. There is a light hoppiness that smells English.

Taste is biscuity malt with oak and birch wood notes. The malt is also a bit caramellic and nutty. Together with the malt there is a great fruit attack with peaches and a bit strawberry. Bitterness is medium, but really nice and according to style. Mouthfeel is medium to thin.Aftertaste is dry and lingering bitter wood. (681 characters)

500ml brown bottle. No freshness info. is given on the label.
A: in a straight pint glass it pours a pale-copperish hue, with a thick and fluffy foamy head which slowly settles, leaving uneven sheets of lacing along the way; gentle streams of big bubbles.
S: as hoppy as malty upfront--semi-sweetish, almost candyish, biscuity malts with light touches of caramel are supported solidly by pronounced floral hops and beautifully tuned appleish aroma. A harmony in front of my nose, I must say.
T&M: delicious biscuity maltiness is intertwined with a slightly spicy, leafy hoppyness followed by lots of dried fruits, marmalade/ tangeine peel, licorice, a hint of (not sweet) caramel, and a profound black-tea like bitter-sweet aftertaste lingering towards the very last minute of tasting. The nectar on the palate is so tender and caressing, while a lively texture is retained throughout.
D: medium-bodied and very flavoursome, this is a truly lovely premium bitter. The bottled one I'm tasting now seems to be more pronounced in hoppyness than my last pint on cask which was predominantly malty. But as both versions are at 4.8%abv., I presume them to be of the same recipe? Both are very good though. Go, Go, Bateman's!! (1,223 characters)

Appearance: clear nut brown with a big frothy off white head which settles to a persisting collar. Lace coats the glass. To smell, it is not particularly strong but has a lot going on in it, with fruity notes (citrus, with some raisin and fig), biscuity malt and some spiciness (Ginger Nuts). To taste, mild toasted malt flavours on entry and mid palate with bitterness coming through on swallowing, leaving a long lasting bitter finish. The mouthfeel is very smooth and creamy, with really good soft fine carbonation - it's hard to ask for more from this. Overall, this has a lot going on in it, although everything is done in a subtle way - it seems to need a bit of concentration to appreciate it's greatness. (712 characters)

Been looking forward to this one for awhile. I love a good English ale.

A: Fits nicely into my English Imerial pint glass. A beautiful amber. The head starts at 1 inch but dies fast. Carbonation is a little on the high end to make this a 5.

S: Toffee, biscut, and a some caramel from the malts. The hops are floral and tea-like. Faint earthiness and some mild fruitiness from the English yeast.

T: Tons of great English character. Biscut and toffee are the main thing I pick up. The caramel comes out as well. The hops are very nice and provide a tea-like flavor with a hint of spiciness. The beer finishes with some faint fruitiness and just a hint of butteriness. A treat for those who like a good English ale. Lots of flavor for a low ABV. Bitterness is spot on for the style.

M: Light bodied, crisp and clean on the tongue. Too much carbonation for a traditional English beer, but I can deal with it.

D: All around, a great example of an English ESB. Right on for the style. Very flavorful and quite sessionable. Why the hell did I only buy one bottle? I must get more. (1,079 characters)

Into a British pint glass, poured copper-red with more carbonation than expected, two fingers of beige head, great retention, and good lacing. The nose revealed the traditional expected notes of apple, pear, biscuit, and malt. The taste began with toast, biscuit, toffee, and caramel, dissolving to the aforementioned fruity flavors, and then finishing on a bitter dry toffee note. Smooth, yet slightly spritzy medium body. Excellent session beer with a great flavor progression. (479 characters)

I poured this one from a very cool looking 16.9oz uniquely shaped brown bottle into a straight sided English pint glass.

A= This ale poured a perfectly clear dark copper color (I could read the label on the bottle through the full glass) with a 1" creamy tan head. The head was soft and quickly dropped to a broken skim, leaving just a few traces of lacing behind.

S= Aroma was full of sweet malt and some light fruity esters. Hops were earthy and mildly spicy to the nose. Some very faint oxidation present but nothing off-putting.

T= Very "English" in flavor. Nice caramel-sweet malts up front with some drier biscuit notes in there too. The hops were full and spicy but not citrusy like American hops. Some nice fruity flavors crept in and out of each sip, showing some faint apple and pear. Finished dry and fairly refreshing.

MF= This was on the lighter side of medium bodied with a big carbonation release that remained soft on the tongue.

D= This was my first ale from Batemans. I found it to be a very solid English pale ale, and could easily drink a few in one sitting. (1,086 characters)

Amber brown color, reddish in tint, with one inch of sticky tan head. Great lacing, great retention. This is the perfect look for an English bitter.

The nose is also top-notch, although somewhat muted by the sticky head. Peppery, earthy hops with a biscuity malt profile. A little bit of floral character in those hops as well.

Flavors of apple, spice, rye, pepper, toffee, tea, and biscuits. This is the run-down for the particular style. Well done. Smooth and easy drinking, although pretty bitter for an ESB - good for me. Malts are clearly English in origin, with lots of toffee flavors. Maris Otter and Crystal - sounds about right. Wouldn't have guessed the wheat..

The body is medium, pretty smooth, with enough carbonation to keep it feeling light and easy to sip. The finish is peppery with lasting hop oils, which is great. Robust, complex flavor. Beautiful. (873 characters)